Step 3: Neutralize. Create a thick paste out of baking soda and water. Apply to the spill to absorb it. Wait 1 or 2 minutes. Wipe up the mixture with paper towel and immediately put the soiled paper towel in the plastic bag. Apply another layer of the baking soda paste.
Causes of Bare Spots in the Lawn. Bare spots in your lawn can be the result of heavy foot traffic (causing soil compaction), drought, disease, chemical burn and weed or insect infestation. Before beginning repairs, you need to determine the source of your problem.
The wrong herbicide can leave brown spots in your lawn. Taking out the weed killer to destroy the interlopers in your lawn seems like a good idea at the time, but the wrong herbicide, used the wrong way, will leave your yard looking worse than it did with weeds. Brown spots appear where you killed the weed -- and your grass along with it. A selective herbicide kills specific weeds, and can get rid of dandelions or crabgrass without damaging the lawn, but if you went with a non-selective herbicide, you have some lawn repair to do.